Why This, Why That?
by everyoneisMISunderstood
Summary: The most commonly asked question in life is probably, "Why? Why this, why that?" Gabrielle and Hale are quickly discovering how true this fact is on a plane as they awkwardly discuss love. But sometimes, it's better not to ask certain things. Kat/Hale


**(A/N) So I got around to reading this book again, and while I was reading it I decided to type this. This was inspired by page 94, particularly the last lines on the page. Basically, I wanted to see if Kat had missed a conversation as well as the other things mentioned. Then, I decided I would base the conversation off of Hale and Gabrielle's relationship.**

Hale's shoulder was aching. Garbielle's pretty blond head was resting on his frame, and he didn't want to move her. He wasn't a bad guy; he didn't want to wake up some poor girl just because he didn't feel like being chivalrous due to cramping.

He knew Kat was staring. Through his peripheral vision (which was far more attuned than that of a normal person), he could see her blue eyes watching him warily. She was so incredibly tired, and the moment she closed her eyes, she fell asleep. It was almost instantly easier for Hale to relax when he knew his best friend was no longer observing him.

Hale shifted slightly in his seat, trying to relieve some of the pressure on the sensitive spot on his shoulder. The seat was too cramped for his liking, especially when he was so accommodated to expensive, plush couches.

A slight moan came from Hale's left side. He cursed quietly as Gabrielle's mascara-coated lashes quivered. Her eyelids fluttered open gracefully, crystalline eyes locking onto him. "Sorry," She murmured, somehow managing to be flirtatious right when waking up.

Hale flashed her an easy smile. "Any time."

Sitting up, she offered a mink smirk of her own. "I may have to take you up on that offer," She drawled. The look on her face was one that could have easily drawn any guy in.

Only it didn't work on Hale, she noticed. Sure, he would return her advances, but only because it was a reflex to him. He didn't mean the words the way she wanted him to mean them. She fought the urge to frown and said sweetly, "That was probably the best sleep I've had in awhile. You're surprisingly comfortable."

Hale chuckled. "That's quite the compliment."

"Yes, it definitely is," She replied quickly with a toss of her hair.

Then there was a silence. Gabrielle, for once, wasn't sure what to say. She was never the one who was tongue-tied when dealing with the opposite gender. She was always the one with the upper hand, but things had always been different with Hale.

Hale was smart. Hale was handsome. Hale was rich.

And most importantly, Hale was a thief. Being a thief was a quality that few men had, so when he ended up coming with other perks, well, was it so ridiculous that Gabrielle had actually fallen for him?

Of course it wasn't. Any girl would fall for him.

Except Gabrielle wasn't just any girl. She was smart. She was beautiful. She was rich.

And most importantly, Gabrielle was a thief. Yet, as she watched him watching her, she couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't good enough for him.

There had never been a time when he looked at her with anything more than a slight interest. He never really bothered to get to know her on a personal level, he never bothered to take the step that no other guy wanted to take because all that mattered was her beauty. She thought Hale would understand, she thought he could be the one for her. So she fell hard for him, only he wasn't falling for her and she had no idea why not.

Why wasn't she enough? She was enough (plus a little) for any other guy. She was a gem, a _treasure_ to men.

But not to Hale. Why not to Hale?

It was foolish of her to be worrying when she had so many men that wanted to date her. It was foolish of her to be hung up on the one guy who would clearly never be interested. But all she wanted to know was _why._

Maybe then she could make some… adjustments.

"Hale," She mumbled quietly, not sounding at all like herself. "Why don't you like me?"

Hale blinked in astonishment. For once, Gabrielle lacked confidence. For once, she sounded unsure. For once, she sounded a bit like her cousin. Perhaps that was what spurred a reaction out of him, the stunning similarity their voices took when they were wounded.

Hale cleared his throat. He knew he had to choose his words carefully. If Gabrielle was so upset that she couldn't even properly lie, she must have been as close to fragile as she would ever get. "I do like you, Gabrielle. I like you a lot. I understand you, and you understand me. You're stunning, and intelligent. When you want to be." He added the lat words as a joke with a slight inclination of his head, hoping to earn a smile and a subject change.

Gabrielle didn't find the joke very funny. "Why aren't we together? Why, Hale? We would be so good together."

They would be, and they both knew it. Both were seen, if not for their money, for their striking appearances. Both had flaws that they hid underneath a well-earned arrogance. Both had neglectful parents.

They lived the same lives. They should have worked, they should have been an amazing, powerful couple that was a force to be reckoned with. They should have been the most charming pairing on earth, they should have been picture-perfect.

Only they weren't. Hale didn't know what to say because he wasn't quite sure of what his answer should be. Of course, he may have thought of Gabrielle that way on occasion, after all, what guy with functioning eyes wouldn't? And when he got to know her a bit better, he started thinking of her that way more but it was still never enough.

The question was still in the air: _Why?_

Then, something happened that would shed light on the entire situation. Something so slight, so seemingly insignificant that would bring up certain truths that were better left unmentioned.

Kat shivered.

Hale looked over at her and saw the raised bumps on her arms. Her teeth were chattering, and he remembered her jokingly complaining about how cold airplanes always were. He smiled just slightly at the memory of her scrunched nose, the irritation in her voice.

Gabrielle could feel her heart break and melt at the same time when she saw the look on his face. As Hale stared at her cousin with that ghost of a grin, she couldn't help but feel so sad that he couldn't look at her that way. She also felt a silly smile of her own spread across her face because, duh, it was so _cute_. So cute, yet so painful.

But so _not_ surprising. Deep down, Gabrielle guessed she always knew why Hale was never interested in her. "Oh, I get it."

He turned back to her. "Get what?"

Gabrielle let out a delicate sigh and was immensely relieved to find that she sounded more like a fan-girly teenager than a crushed one. "You're totally into my cousin!"

Hale and Kat had met a good year before Gabrielle was even introduced to the young man. Kat let Hale into their glorious world of heists, Kat taught him the ropes, Kat was the one who gave Hale something that could never be stolen: a life of excitement, and evidently, a life of love.

"Why do you say that?" Hale returned easily, trying to ignore the sound of Kat's teeth chattering while she slept.

Gabrielle grinned. "You just look at her like… like she's worth more than the missing paintings. Times infinity."

Hale stared at her. The grin wasn't forced, but he'd broken enough hearts to recognize the look in a girl's eyes. "She's my best friend."

"So? Best friends fall in love all the time! It's so romantic!"

Hale shook his head at her. "Don't be ridiculous. She's _Kat._"

"Meaning what? You could never feel that way about her or she could never feel that way about you?"

"Meaning we already do feel that way about each other and she just won't admit it," He retorted.

Gabrielle shrugged. Part of her wanted to find a way to soothe him, to drive him into her arms, but the smarter part of her knew she would only end up pushing him away. Instead, she softly said, "Why don't you try?"

"Why should I?"

Gabrielle paused for a moment. It would be so easier for her to manipulate this situation. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. If Hale wasn't right for her, Hale wasn't right for her. She'd asked what needed to be asked, and it was now up to her to help two people she loved very much find happiness.

Finally, with a deep breath, she answered carefully, "Why would you live your life not knowing if it would have worked? She's not an ugly girl," Gabrielle pointed out, "and she's smart. She's talented, and if she's found a place in your heart, why wouldn't she find a place in someone else's?"

Hale didn't respond. Kat had found a place in his heart even though ho'd tried to fight it off. He'd tried to keep her on the outside, but every time she'd smack him on the shoulder, or every time she rolled her eyes, he'd grown less determined. And when she _smiled…_

So she was not only placed on Hale's heart. She was engraved, branded.

Kat was shivering again. She wasn't beautiful, not even close. Pretty, of course, but beautiful? No. Her nose was slightly crooked, and her eyebrows were slightly too sparse with eyelashes to match. Yet, Hale was drawn to those imperfections. He loved that she had the flaws he lacked, physically speaking.

And not only was she appealing on the outside, she was a good person. She had the courage to walk away because her morals meant that much to her. She had such a good heart. A heart that _was_ beautiful.

He was turning into a sap. It was pathetic. He was in so deep.

"She's going to freeze," Gabrielle observed mildly.

Hale turned to her. Gabrielle was never much of a crier, but looking at her then, Hale knew that this would probably be as close as she'd ever get to shedding tears. She offered an encouraging smile.

With a resigned sigh, Hale pulled a blanket out of the over-head compartment. He nestled the blanket around Kat's shoulders, tucking a stray piece of dark hair behind her ear. He wanted to smile, but he didn't. Instead, he asked himself, _Why couldn't she have overheard this?_

But she didn't hear one of the most intense conversations of Hale's entire life, short as it was. She didn't feel Hale cover her with a blanket. She was already asleep, much to his dismay.

**(A/N) Reviews are loved!**


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